Both places, Kirby says, "allow folks to just be lazy, as we like to say."

Dave McNair

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When the Lazy Parrot Grill folks took over the former Brix Café space at the Pantops Shopping Center earlier this year, owner Kevin Kirby worried that some people might think the Lazy Parrot Grill, also in Pantops, had moved.

Prior story

The Lazy Parrot Backyard BBQ now in the former Brix space may share the Lazy Parrot name– which Kirby has trademarked– but the two places are not, well, parroting each other.

"I've always wanted to do a second venture," says Kirby, who was born and raised in Charlottesville, "and when one came up so close, I couldn't resist."

While the Grill is known for wings– our friends at food blog Mas to Miller's deemed the Grill's wings one of the two best in Charlottesville– the Backyard BBQ is making a stab at offering the best, well, you know.

"It's a passion," says Kirby. "I will never cut down another BBQ joint because I now have the utmost respect for smokers. I have had many 3am wake up calls just to get the food on the smoker."

As Lazy-goers know, the Grill has 22 TVs to go with its wings, a thriving music scene, and with a special air-handling system, has the distinction of being one of the few places that still allows indoor tobacco smoking. The Backyard BBQ, on the other hand– with eight HD TVs, a pool table, and two pinball machines– is cigarette-free. Both places, Kirby says, "allow folks to just be lazy, as we like to say."

So far, reviews on the BBQ have been "overwhelming," Kirby says. "The BBQ is just flying out of here."

Next step is expanding the patio area.

"Some people ask if I'm concerned that I competing with myself," Kirby smiles. "Well, I would rather compete with myself than someone else."

31 comments

HMM???? February 3rd, 2012 | 8:38am

I would say he has over extended his wings. The new place always looks like a ghost town. Pretty silly to open two places in the same shopping center. Oh well nobody said restaurant owners were sane to begin with.

JustSaying February 3rd, 2012 | 8:50am

Hmm,
the quality of food will dictate success, not how many places in one shopping center.

Idiot February 3rd, 2012 | 10:04am

LP wings are not in the top 10 locally imho.

saywha? February 3rd, 2012 | 10:36am

The mention of a "thriving music scene" coupled with the frightening concept of a Jimmy Buffet theme are more than enough to scare me away forever, no matter how good the wings are.

shut the heck up February 3rd, 2012 | 11:03am

i feel like everyone commenting on this page is an idiot....you all obviously havent experienced this. both placing are doing extremely well and it is not a ghiat town just a different vibe. obviously these people are stupid rednecks who want to be out to all hours and vause a scene. so if any of you all near as close to as successful as the parrots then you. can zay something

AJF February 3rd, 2012 | 11:10am

@shut the heck up: That reads like you typed it from the bar at Lazy Parrot.

omgitspaul February 3rd, 2012 | 11:22am

@ shut the heck up..."obviously these people are stupid rednecks who want to be out to all hours and vause a scene"...hahaha, talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

saywha? February 3rd, 2012 | 11:43am

i dun zed my peace an zeems like I was rite about parrot pepulz. no gonna zee me eatins zer

Dang.... February 3rd, 2012 | 11:51am

The have awesome wings. However, I cringe at the sound of Buffet's music and the whole parrot-head atmosphere so I get in and get out quickly. Again - awesome wings!!

Jeff February 3rd, 2012 | 1:19pm

Wow- Is jealosy killing some of you , I happen to be a regular at both and by the sound of things some of you are probably some of the individuals NOT allowed in there. The food in BOTH restaurants is delicious and the BBQ is some of the best I have ever had and the wings are the best I have ever had.The Parrots are not a Jimmy Buffet restaurant ,that would be a chain restaurant off 29. If you knew anything about the history of how the restaurants becoming a tropical theme restaurant you would never associate it with Jimmy Buffet. I am also a local born and raised in Charlottesville not a transplant and it is good to see one of our own doing so well. It is obvious the ghost town should be saved for other restaurants in town, The Lazy Parrot Grill has a great crowd 7 nights a week, and no I would not say it is part of the music scene, I know the owner and I know he is not part of that he just likes to provide good entertainment and only 1 night is there actually live entertainment Jimmy O and as for the Lazy Parrot Backyard BBQ I know at lunch time the place is packed and at night they are growing their dinner following. The BBQ closes at 10pm so they are not competing for the bar scene. It is disheartning to see such negative comments because bottom line it is false. I know me and my friend are and will always be Lazy Parrot regulars. LP gang keep it up you guys are the best.

saywha? February 3rd, 2012 | 1:48pm

Godwin's Law should be amended to include comments making accusations of "jealousy" or "fear."

S.B. February 3rd, 2012 | 4:27pm

Being someone that pretty much eats every meal at a restaurant I can say that Lazy Parrot has some of the worst food I have ever has from a restaurant. I've tried it 6-8 time over the course of years and it's always bad. The wings are absolutely horrible and shouldn't be in the top 20 in C-ville. That being said, I am looking forward to giving the BBQ place a chance and hopefully I will be surprised with delicious food. Best of luck to them.

Boodah February 3rd, 2012 | 5:05pm

I live relatively close by, so I used to try the Grill but in general the smoking was just too much for me so I haven't been therein a while. HAVE been to the BBQ place, both for eat in and takeout, and it's good, and decently priced (unlike, say B#lmont BBQ, which is good but ridiculous $$). I hope enough peeps find out about the BBQ spot and frequent it, I like having it in the Pantops area and it's a good alternative to East Garden/Tip Top/Christian's/Stix. Good luck, man, I'll keep coming in for pulled pork n chicken!

Parrot lover February 3rd, 2012 | 5:21pm

I love the new smoke-free Parrot. Rednecks rock and the rest of yall need to get the hell out of C-Ville. Just follow the 29N signs.

Parrot lover February 3rd, 2012 | 5:27pm

Don't be hatin on Belmont BBQ either... Wes be SMOKIN.

Janie February 3rd, 2012 | 5:58pm

Love both of the LP's. Am a regular at both. Great food, great prices and great fun. The patio at LPG is my favorite warm weather venue.

Parrot Patrons February 3rd, 2012 | 6:03pm

If the comments on this page are any indication of the clientele, I don't think I'll ever step foot in the place. I guess that group of people had to go somewhere after Rivals closed down... Shouldn't they just go ahead and relocate outside of Lake Monticello to make things more convenient?

jeepn February 3rd, 2012 | 6:20pm

I agree with jeff I'm a loyal customer to both restaurants in think they have the best food cheapest prices extremely clean very fun to the people that talk a bunch of s h I t about the places that means that they are probably not allowed in or just want something to complain about I will stand by the parrot for as long as it is around

Parrot Patrons February 3rd, 2012 | 6:47pm

jeepn , you're just adding more fuel to the fire. I'd hate to see who's actually banned from these places, they must be marched right down to the local jail if they're not allowed in a Parrot establishment.

confused easily February 3rd, 2012 | 7:49pm

Never had decent BBQ in Virginia. Probably never will.

I know some BBQ places in Texas that would make you cry tears of joy.

STEVEN GRIVAS February 3rd, 2012 | 7:59pm

I had the best burger at the Lazy Parrot in Pantops . . . absolutely delicious. A cut above.

Parrot Patrons February 3rd, 2012 | 10:22pm

This is the worst case of social media marketing I've ever seen.

Jed February 3rd, 2012 | 11:04pm

I'm always curious to hear where people think the best wings are. Those of you who think LP's wings are terrible...where are the best in Charlottesville?

vestigial wing February 4th, 2012 | 6:31am

Wings are for cats. Belmont BBq tastes good but is the greasiest meat this side of a goose. Jinx is good but the bread is lame. Forget about it: get a burger at riverside.

saywha? February 4th, 2012 | 2:16pm

Agreed vestigial wing , the concept of "best wings" is dubious at best. "BBQ" sauce dumped out of a jar and baked onto a mostly flavorless meat product that is then dipped in something disgusting like honey or jarred blue cheese salad dressing does not really make for a subject worthy of a discussion concerning grades of quality.

You're spot on about Jinx's bread too.

Boodah February 5th, 2012 | 3:18pm

Best local is still Blue Ridge Pig, but it's a long drive and far short of what you can get at any of a dozen places in Memphis.

Eeli February 5th, 2012 | 4:59pm

BBQ exchange in Gordonsville...BBQ exchange! nuff said...

Smash February 5th, 2012 | 11:20pm

@saywha?, you done lost your mind! Only someone who has not eaten many wings would describe them so inaccurately, with such little respect for the great diversity of flavors and techniques out there. That's a perfectly fine choice for a man to make, but it hardly makes you a worthy judge of whether there are grades of quality. Perhaps to you only foie gras and caviar "really make for a subject worthy of a discussion concerning grades of quality," but down here below your nose there are people who take pride in cooking all kinds of food for all kinds of people, and not all such food is the same. Godwin's Law should perhaps also be amended to include self-righteous snobbiness, which would include the both of us, just in different ways. You about food and the middle class, me about quality of wings and people who are snobby about things they won't condescend to understand.

omgitspaul February 6th, 2012 | 10:59am

Southern wings suck in general. True hot wings are such an easy dish to make. Chicken, hot sauce and butter. You don't bread, them, bake them or put sauces on them that don't belong. One thing the yankees up north do right are wings...there isn't a wing in town worth eating. And Blue Ridge Pig is wonderful BBQ, best I've had locally...doesn't touch the BBQ I've had in KC and Texas, but it is very good.

Parrot Liker February 9th, 2012 | 2:55pm

Parrot is nice to go to but the ownere is an a lot to be desired. If he kicks out one more person for being honest about him he will go under. He even bands ppl if they applie there and then don't take the job. COME ON MAN

KB February 14th, 2012 | 7:32am

I'm thrilled that there is a SMOKE-FREE Lazy Parrot option on Pantops! The BBQ is great and the atmosphere is open and uncongested. It is the antithesis of the other space and serves the "other half" well. Many of us on this end of town hope it succeeds!